Dummy's Guide to Good Communication
by LittleMaggie
Summary: Harry and Hermione have an awful misunderstanding, and suddenly the whole school is against Hermione... and a failed love spell turns Draco into a shmoozing Romeo that wants to brainwash Hermione into joining the Dark Side! And finally ch.9, an ending.
1. A Dance

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Author's Note: I felt like writing another Harry Potter fiction. So sue me! No, wait, what am I saying? Don't sue me! I don't own these people! *smacks self* What a stupid, stupid thing to say! *lawyers throw themselves at her* (Oh, this was originally a songfic to a song by "Bauhaus" but I decided to do a chapters-thing…)

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Chapter One

A Dance

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Hermione stared at the poster hanging in the main hall.

It was gigantic, showing a couple spinning around on a ballroom floor, smiling happily. Their joy was so touching, the loving look in their eyes so honest and true. She read the words on the poster – **Turnabout Dance. Girls Ask Boys This Time!**

Hermione hated to be a pessimist, but she whispered to herself: " Yeah, too bad that the dance is nothing like this picture. All the boys end up dancing with one or two girls, the ones that are less intimidating to ask.

But this time, it's up to the girls to ask boys. And for once, she knew she was stuck. She only had three candidates – Ron, Harry, and Neville. Neville was in a Potions accident though, and Ron was going with Lavender. So that left Harry.

Harry, though?

She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. It would certainly be difficult to ask Harry to the dance. He was starry-eyed over Cho, and she was nervous whether any move towards him would be shaken off or not.

" What are you looking at?"

She spun around and saw that Harry was right there, dressed in his Quidditch uniform, his broom dragging behind him.

" Oh," She said quickly, "Just the bulletin board. Ever since they put one in, I've been checking on it. They've got a little Lost and Found section."

" Did you lose anything?" He prompted, smiling.

She could feel herself blushing and she shrugged quickly, brushing her hair towards her face a bit. " No, I didn't, but I find things all the time."

" Did you find a date for the dance?" He wondered.

Hermione bit her lower lip. Was this an advancement on Harry's part or just a simple question? She shook her head in reply. " No I didn't," and then continued, seeing his surprised expression, " I don't think I'm going."

" Everyone will be there," Harry said, finally, " Cho's going with some seventh year, a really nice guy."

" That's too bad for you," Hermione said uneasily.

He nodded to himself.

" How was Quidditch practice?" She asked.

" It was okay. The Slytherin team came out and forced us off the field though. They never, _ever_ follow the rules. They're supposed to sign up on the big board in the locker room in order to have the field. We signed for today, but they haven't a clue about rules, as always," Harry seethed out.

" That's awful," Hermione said, " Isn't there anything you can do?"

" There is no reasoning with Draco. He's such a git sometimes!" Harry muttered.

" Maybe you can talk to Professor McGonagall about enforcing the rule?" Hermione said meekly, unsure of what else to say.

" That wouldn't work," Harry said dejectedly, " I have to get going, so see ya around."

Hermione was left standing there, her eyes misting with tears. She could never get the courage up to ask Harry to the dance. He thought of her solely as a friend, and she thought of him solely as a friend too. It would be far too awkward. Suddenly, she realized how unpopular and how isolated she truly was; how unwanted and single she had been for so long.

*

" Honestly, Harry!"

Harry looked up and saw Ron standing in the door of the common room, his speckled face bright with a gigantic smile.

" What's so funny?" Harry demanded.

" I hear you still haven't found a date. You could at _least_ be nice enough to consider Ginny," Ron said darkly, " Instead of opting to go solo. I mean, you must be the most popular boy in school."

" I was sort of thinking Hermione would ask me," Harry admitted, " It certainly felt like she would; the way she flirted with me."

" Flirted with you?" Ron frowned. " Harry, I don't think Hermione has ever flirted with _anyone_, or any_thing_ for that matter."

" Maybe she's just afraid of me," Harry began, "And she won't approach me. What do you think?"

" I think you're wasting your time. I mean – _Hermione_? She's our best friend, Harry. That would be like me and you, almost!" Ron grimaced at the very idea. He sat down on the bed across from where Harry was sitting and looked at Harry critically. " Can't you take Ginny? She's been waiting for ages to go on a date with you."

Harry blushed. " I – I can't go with someone I have no interest in!" Harry protested. " That would be unfair to Ginny!"

" Whatever you say, Harry," Ron replied, rolling his eyes, " But Ginny will be _real _upset if you go by yourself instead of asking her. That's like a stab in the heart for a girl, you know."

" How come you're the genius when it comes to girls, all of a sudden?" Harry demanded.

" Lavender and her friends tell me more than I could ever want to know."

" I see."

" They abuse the fact that I'm a good listener," Ron stood up, " I should get going, alright?"

" Go ahead," Harry said, " Check on Hermione for me. See if she'd like to go with me."

" I will," Ron told him.

*

Hermione pushed her fork through the food on her plate, stopped, and then lifted it, twirling it around in circles before placing it in her mouth lazily. She looked around the table. Harry and Ron were missing and it was almost dinnertime! A worried feeling filled her stomach, _maybe Harry is with Cho._ The feeling left quickly as she shrugged it away with another thought – _it's not like its bad, or anything_.

" Hi!"

She spun around and saw Ron plop himself down on the bench beside her.

" Hey, Ron. Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

" He went out to practice Quidditch again," Ron replied, " Seems like it's his goal in life – to prosper in Quidditch."

" Oh."

" Are you going to the dance, by any chance?" Ron asked her.

" No. I don't have a date," Hermione explained.

" Would you want to go with Harry?"

" Is he asking?" Hermione asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up suddenly.

" Well, no," Ron replied, " I was just curious, really. I don't knnow if he'll ask you or not."

" I wouldn't mind going with Harry," Hermione admitted, then realized she sounded very silly. She had to have some sort of alibi, to show that she had other plans – that Harry wasn't her priority. She added, instantly, " I was planning to study in the library that night though. Snape's essay will be hell to write."

" I see," Ron said thoughtfully and then frowned, " You know what, Hermione? You feel the same for Harry as he does for Ginny, don't you?"

Hermione blushed. She had always figured Harry didn't really feel much for Ginny; but suddenly she was filled with doubt. She really liked Harry, and Ron must have been able of telling. And now he had found a way to let her know, in a subtle way, that Harry had feelings for Ginny. Hermione's smile wavered nervously, " Don't tell Harry, okay?"

Ron thought, _Oh, I won't tell Harry that you're not interested in him. Ginny should get a chance with Harry. I just **knew** Hermione wasn't into dances. She's so ahead of herself sometimes; no time for friends._

Hermione smiled, " I don't want to ruin my friendship with Harry over something like this."

" I won't tell him," Ron sighed, " But in all honesty, you should eventually tell him yourself, so as not to make him think that you.. .er…" He flushed.

" I understand," Hermione said, thinking, _I need to tell Harry I have feelings for him eventually; I would hate if he figured it out on his own and held it against me._

Ron, meanwhile, thought to himself, _Well, I guess that's that then. Hermione will have to tell Harry that she has no feelings for him, and he can finally get over her a bit… now to convince Harry to give Ginny a chance…_

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See You In Chapter Two!

(Evil Grin)

Author's Note:

Mwa ha ha! I am the master of human misinterpretation of one another's words and signals! I have used this technique before in fiction to give it awful plot twists! Now, review, or I will go and turn this into… er… Hermione/Hagrid, or something. Ooh! Harry/Filch! Hurry and review, and hope that I don't stray from Hermione/Harry goodness… he he he!


	2. Ginny's Hope

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Author's Note: Recognize a character in this story? Chances are, it isn't mine. Unless you believe I am J. K. Rowling, in which case you have bigger problems than that.

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Chapter Two

Ginny's Hope

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" Why? Did she say no?" Harry exclaimed.

" Well, she didn't exactly say _no,_" Ron admitted, " But she's not going to the dance in general. I still think you should give Ginny a chance."

They were both standing outside, Harry in his Quidditch uniform, the sun setting behind them. Harry looked hurt for a second; then, his eyes closed and he took a deep, steady breath. " So I guess I will ask Ginny," He said more to himself than Ron.

" She's been waiting four years for this," Ron said excitedly.

" Why are you suddenly so interested in Ginny?" Harry asked, crossly.

Ron shrugged. " I just really, really want her to be happy. That's all."

*

Ginny sat in the library, flipping through some _Witch Fashion_ magazines. There was a lovely cape on sale; it was black with crimson lining and had little embroidered suns and moons on it, in gold thread. It was gorgeous. She dreamed of herself wearing that cape as she went out on the dance floor to dance with Harry, his green eyes peering gently into hers.

He would run his fingers across her shoulders and say, " Your cape is magnificent. But not as lovely as you."

" Oh, Harry!" She'd cry out.

" I love you, Ginny," He would whisper softly, leaning in to kiss her.

" Oh, Harry!"

" You are my sun and moon," He'd continue, tilting her face to his, letting her lips be on the same level as his.

" Oh, Harry! We're too young," She'd croon, putting her hand up to her forehead in a swoon.

" But my love for you courses through my veins, natural to me like my own blood," Harry would reply, " Kiss me. Kiss me, make this evening mine."

And she would let him kiss her, but not in a wanton way; she'd smile and tilt her cheek to him first, letting him trail some kisses down her jawbone towards her lips, like in movies.

Yes, the cape would be wonderful!

" What are you up to, giggling to yourself like that?" She heard someone ask from behind her.

Ginny spun around and saw that it was Hermione. Hermione grinned and plopped herself down on the chair next to Ginny's. " _Witch Fasion_?" She asked aloud, " Isn't that the Fall Cape issue?"

" It is," Ginny replied self-consciously. _What if Hermione has the same cape in mind,_ Ginny thought, _and Harry would fall in love with her after she wore it? She's got the nicest hair, and I'm stuck with these ugly red locks!_

" Can I see?" Hermione lifted the magazine and stared at the cape, " Oh! It's so silly!" She laughed, " It's like something a Barbie would wear for trick or treating."

Luckily, Ginny knew enough about being a Muggle from her dad to understand what Hermione was talking about. Her face turned very red and she whispered angrily, " I think it's a nice thing to wear to a dance. It's something so pretty and romantic. A boy would probably fall in love with me just because I'm wearing it."

" A boy?" Hermione asked.

" Harry." Ginny said triumphantly. Now the cards were on the table. Ginny wondered if Hermione would now start an argument.

Hermione's face flushed and she looked at her lap for a moment. Then she looked up with a huge smile plastered on her face. " Ginny! Why, that would be a lovely thing to wear to go out with Harry. He'd think you were the belle of the ball."

" Yeah. Too bad I'm too scared to ask him!" Ginny muttered, " Besides, I bet you're going with him."

" Nope," Hermione replied, " And you know why?"

" Why?" Ginny wondered.

" I hear he really likes you," Hermione confessed, " But promise you won't tell Harry that you heard it from me. I… I don't think he wants me to know that he likes you. I think he's worried it would hurt my feelings."

" Does it hurt your feelings?" Ginny asked.

" Not at all," Hermione grinned brightly, " I'm just glad to see my friends happy." She squeezed her hands into fists under the table, though, crumbing her robes in her fists as she did. Ginny could see this, but she said nothing.

" Do you really think Harry would go with me?" Ginny sighed dreamily, " Because Ron keeps teasing me about how I don't have a date yet."

" Well, you won't hear anymore teasing. Harry will go with you," Hermione said.

" Thank you so much!" Ginny threw her hands around Hermione's neck, giving her a quick hug, and then leapt to her feet, " I have to go find him and ask before someone else finds him!"

" You do that!" Hermione watched Ginny turn and run off.

_She's so childish,_ Hermione thought bitterly,_ how could Harry like her and not me? Why don't **any** boys like me?_ The only answer that came was the soft tapping sound of Cho Chang's pencil. She was sitting a few tables away, writing an essay of hers.

_The woman of Harry's heart, and now Ginny is the princess of Harry's admiration_, Hermione thought. _How can I compare to these girls? They're so fashionable, and into whatever's popular these days._

She flipped through _Witch Fashion _with a bored expression on her face. Pages and pages of stick thin girls, who looked so thin, anorexic even, but they weren't being hospitalized. Oh no, they were on gorgeous beaches with muscled young men holding them. They were so perfect, so lovely. If any other girl were to get as thin as them, they'd be put into a hospital. But these models – they are ideal!

Hermione sighed and pushed the magazine away. It felt as if the world was pointing a finger at her and laughing.

*

Harry wiped the glaze off sweat from his forehead. Then he removed his glasses and cleaned them. His clothing was stained green after falling off his broom and sliding through the grass. He had tried to do a last minute Bludger-Dodge practice, but it didn't go very well. He was unusually upset and distracted about things.

He wondered how to approach Ginny about going to the dance with him. He had been hoping so much that Hermione would go, but now he saw that Hermione truly was too involved in her books to think of him as anything more than a study buddy.

" Harry!" Someone was calling him.

He left the boy's sleeping area and stepped into the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was there, her eyes bright with excitement. " Harry!" She repeated, and then smiled nervously, " I want to ask you something."

" I'd, uh, been meaning to ask you something too," Harry admitted.

" Would you go to the dance with me?" Ginny exclaimed, " Oh, please, _please_, please?"

Harry felt taken aback. _Is this unfair? I don't want to go with her! Would it be all right for me to go with Ginny solely on pity basis? Would I go with her because her brother begged me to?_

" Harry?" She asked, " You aren't mad, are you?"

" No!" He laughed nervously, " I'm just surprised, Ginny."

" So will you go with me?"

" Yes," He said, patting her head uncertainly. He then realized what a gesture it was – it was a gesture that someone would do to a small child!

Ginny didn't seem to notice though. She twirled around excitedly, " This will be so fun! I have the perfect outfit in mind, and _oh_, thank you so much for saying yes! I promise I'll be totally fun! It'll be the best night of your life!"

Harry grinned in reply and said, " I can't wait!" _I can't wait until this date is **behind** us!_

*

**Author's Note: Gary Skinner - **Sorry for the short chapter again; I'm hoping to get some more readers before I start pulling some longer ones. I don't want to discourage people by posting huge amounts of writing. I'm glad that you're reading this though, it's better than having 10 of those "I LUV IT!!!!1111!1! RIGHT MORR! XOXO" sort of reviews. Sorry that I haven't written a Harry Potter story in two months, I was sort of sick in a way. I lost 35 pounds. I mainly just uploaded some previously written Jhonen Vasquez fiction in that time and I just moped around for a while, trying to gather ideas. Now I'm going to try and write again. I would _never_ abandon writing! He he!


	3. Colin's Right

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Chapter Three

Colin's Right

Harry stared at the chess set sitting on the table in front of him. Everything seemed to make sense on it – solid figures, some tapping their toes impatiently, all lined up neatly – and yet, he was stumped as to what to do next. Moving his pawn would surely mean his queen would be done for. But if he didn't move the pawn, he could be facing a checkmate in two moves.

" Would you think faster?" Ron moaned, reclining over the side of the chair, his face pulled into a sour little frown.

" Easy for you to say," Harry countered, " Since you basically have a guaranteed win. Well, fine." Harry moved his bishop instead, therefore putting another little barrier between his king and Ron's queen.

" HAH!" Ron thumped his knight down, seemingly flying it out of nowhere. The knight yanked the head off of Harry's bishop and then stomped on it (no religious offense intended!).

" See?" Harry exclaimed, " I can't win against you! You're brilliant at this! I forfeit."

" What are you so upset about?" Ron wondered, " You've been down all day."

" It's nothing," Harry replied, looking out the window at the dewy March morning, " It's not important."

*

Hermione pulled a book out of the bookcase in the library. The spine read _Love Charms_, and though she always felt such things were absolutely silly, for once she felt resolute about trying one. She had been up all night thinking about it; perhaps even distressing about how Harry and Ginny were already the most whispered-about couple of the ball. Everyone was saying that they were the _cutest_ couple, and that they just _always knew it would happen_. She flopped the book down on the table and leafed through it. She came across the spell:

****
    
    Two Couple Switch Off
    _Warning_: Use only between two couples!
    Gather an eye of newt, a pinch of ground wolfsbane, and
    the smallest amount of copper powder. Mix together and
    sprinkle it very finely on the food of all four people, while
    chanting the names of the people you want to switch in the
    couple. Here is an example, to make things clearer for us:
    Gracie and Stu are going to the dance.
    Emmy and Sam are going to the dance.
    Gracie wants to date Sam. She puts
    our spell powder on the food of all
    four participants and whispers, "Gracie
    and Sam, Stu and Emmy!" And by
    the end of the night, Sam will fall for
    her, and Stu and Emmy will fall for
    each other, therefore eliminating any
    hard feelings. **SHORT TERM ONLY.
    **
    **Warnings:** Effects wear off after four days. Use that
    time to make the person _really_ fall for you.

Hermione reread the spell and sighed. If she were to go to the dance with someone expendable, then she could get that boy to fall for Ginny, and then she'd get Harry for herself. It felt almost like cheating herself out of love; but then the fact that the spell was temporary was enough to assure her. In those four days, she'd try her hardest to make Harry really fall for her. And once the spell wears off, and he really loves her by then, they'd be a couple.

But something felt so wrong, still, about cheating like this!

If Harry didn't like her, why force him to?

Hermione put her ill feelings aside, knowing that she just wanted this four-day chance. If it wouldn't work, she simply would give up. But if it did work, she'd be the happiest girl in the world.

*

Colin Creevey was busy polishing up his new camera. It was a gorgeous, sleek little thing, resembling the body of a cat's, black and smooth and all angles. He looked at it longingly as he polished it slowly and gently, imagining what it would be like to take his first few photos with it at the dance. Hopefully, the photos would be either of Harry or Ginny. Harry was his greatest idol, of course, but _Ginny_… Ginny was like the moon's wafting light; saying her name under his breath made his heartbeat increase as if he were taking a smell of good, strong coffee. And to have both Harry and Ginny going out would be twice as accomplishing for him – he'd be able to fit them both in a photograph!

He could hear it, then, footsteps approaching him from behind. He spun around and stared at whomever it was that had invaded his silence in the library. It was Hermione. She was clutching a book. He could make out the curlicue gold wording on it – _Love Spells._

" Hermione?" Colin asked uncertainly.

Hermione looked unlike herself. She looked almost ravishing. She was flushed and her long hair was down and in a sea of dark waves around her face. Her dark eyes shone as she turned to look at him. "Oh! Hi, Colin!" She smiled brightly.

" I didn't recognize you at first," Colin admitted, " You look so excited. You're usually walking with your head down, staring at the ground."

She jostled the book in her arms so that the spine was facing away from Colin, before she continued: " I just happened to find a book I liked."

" Love spells? Who're you going to cast a spell on?" Colin joked.

" Oh, it's not for me," Hermione said, quickly, " My friend's too shy to get it for herself, so I got it for her."

" Was it Ginny?" Colin looked up at her hopefully.

Hermione looked at him intently, " Maybe. Why do you think she would?"

" Promise you won't tell anyone," Colin muttered darkly, " And I'll tell you."

" I promise," Hermione assured him.

" I sort of have a crush on Ginny," Colin said, " It's been like this for the whole year. I guess it all started when she helped me out with my Potions work. I was almost hoping that she's going out with Harry just since she knows I always tag along with him."

Hermione bit her lower lip excitedly. " This is perfect," She gushed, " Colin, I think you might be right."

" Am I?" He exclaimed.

" Not right about what you think, I mean, you're right for what I need you to do," Hermione was saying in a rushed voice, " You see, I need someone who likes Ginny to come with me to the dance. I plan to do a **Couple Switch Off **spell, and then you can be with Ginny and I'll be with Harry."

" You like Harry," Colin said dumbly, " But that doesn't make any sense!"

" Why not?" Hermione demanded.

" It's just…" Colin thought back to how he overheard Ron and Harry talking in the common room. " … Harry sort of figures you don't want to go with him."

" But that's silly," Hermione said, " I specifically told Ron I wouldn't mind going with Harry." Then, her heart thudded painfully – _she had made it seem as if she had other plans._ What if Harry thought that she was too busy to go with him? A new wave of hope ran through her in a sharp current.

" Hermione?" Colin asked, seeing how her face was alight with ideas.

" Well, that doesn't matter," Hermione said finally, " What matters is that we can still pull this **Couple Switch Off. **Are you up to it?"

Colin blushed and said, " I don't really know! Wouldn't that be cheating?"

" Nope," She replied, " The effects last only a few days. In that time, you have to try and make Ginny fall in love with you for _real_."

Colin sighed, " Are you _sure_ you're just not jealous of Ginny? Maybe you just want to go with Harry all of a sudden because of Ginny."

" No!" Hermione exclaimed, " That's not it at _all_."

" I don't know," Colin said nervously, " It sure seems like it to me."

" Are you in it or not?" Hermione demanded.

" Fine," Colin answered, " I'm in."

****

Author's Note: Gary Skinner – You know what's very unusual? I was up all night planning out a story where Morpheus draws Harry and Hermione into the Sandman's world! It will take a few months to get it all together, and now I would have to reread the series to pick up on anything that would help me out. And then you mention doing the same sort of story in the review. Weird!

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Anyone Else – www.geocities.com/writermaggie I've finally given myself a webpage… if the link to the left is not showing up then… *shrug*


	4. The MixUp

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Author's Note: After undergoing a disastrous encounter with my grandmother, (who has been known to say things like, "Too bad you're my granddaughter since I _have_ to love you"), my self-esteem was too low to write another chapter. Well, I didn't sign up to be a fan fiction slave monkey for nothing! Prepare for corneal invasion as I type this up.

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Chapter Four

The Switch-up

Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. Her dress was fairly flattering, with it's gathered waist and sequined bodice concealing the slight curve outwards of her stomach, the roundness of her hips. She had a rather pleasing figure, though the Gryffindor robes deceived it, as did her own modesty.

She put away the H. P. Lovecraft horror novel she was reading and decided to fix her hair instead of reading and glancing at the mirror worriedly. Hermione knew that her hair was either her worst or best feature, depending on the day. Sometimes it was a ferocious lion's mane, spilling down her shoulders like bush fire through haystacks. Other times, it was a sleek ocean of waves. Rarely, it would crimp into lovely ringlets and curls that would hang in gentle springs.

Today, it was more like seaweed after a beached whale rolled over on it. It was flat, lifeless, and peculiarly boat-shaped, as if it couldn't decide between being limp and being a tumbleweed (the most macabre of hair days).

Hermione ran a comb through it, saw that the mess was unaffected, and collapsed on the bed, tears rolling down her cheeks. How could she ever make Harry fall in love with her in four days, if he had Ginny's lustrous spun-fire hair to twirl between his fingers?

*

Colin had dressed hurriedly, tucked his camera under his arm, and then arrived at the dance a good five minutes late. His coat had not been buttoned correctly – he had missed a button from the top and so half his overcoat hung an inch lower than the other half. At least his hair was well-combed and washed, which was more than Hermione would have expected from most of the boys she knew.

Hermione gave Colin a scalding glare as he slipped into the chair beside hers. They were sharing a table with Harry and Ginny. Harry looked a bit ill, and his eyes peered at Hermione and then darted away. It was obvious to Hermione that her presence made him uncomfortable. He was probably too scared to kiss Ginny in front of her; after all, Hermione was sure of the fact that Harry knew about her crush on him.

" Can I take a picture of you guys?" Colin piped up, lifting his new camera.

Harry grinned, glad that Colin had taken the initiative in starting the conversation. He put his arm around Ginny and then smiled at the camera.

Hermione felt her stomach twirl in jealousy and she chose to look down at her plate at that point. When she looked up again, she realized some time had passed. Her spaghetti remained uneaten, a jumble of noodles and red sauce, while everyone at the table was almost done.

Hermione looked around and saw that Ginny and Harry had gone to another table to talk with Seamus and Ron, plus their dates. She looked back down at the table, thinking about whether she would dare herself to put her plan into action.

Colin gave her a worried look, " Are you okay, Hermione? Ginny and Harry just went dancing."

Hermione grinned and replied, " I'm fine. I'll put the powder in their tea. By the end of this evening, you'll be dancing with Ginny."

" Why can't you just _ask_ Harry about his feelings for you?" Colin wondered.

" I can't _just ask_," Hermione said, " I'm too scared to see his reaction."

Colin shrugged and replied, " What will you do if you don't get him to love you after four days? What will he say when he finds out about the spell? You'll be the laughingstock of the school."

Hermione's stomach turned, but she frowned and dug out the vial of powder from her pocket anyhow. " Honestly, Colin," She muttered, " have some optimism," and with that, she sprinkled a lovely dose of powder into both Harry and Ginny's tea.

Colin shrunk down in his seat, a bit afraid of what was to soon come to him. Having Ginny to himself sounded lovely, but at the same time, he highly doubted he'd make her fall for him. Hermione might have made Harry love her, but there was no way that Ginny would just forget Harry.

Harry and Ginny returned to the table. Harry's eyebrows raised when he saw the flushed look on Hermione's face. " You look like you're a bit feverish," Harry told Hermione with a gentle smile, " Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey."

" It's fine," Hermione choked out, her eyes brimming with tears, " I mean, I'm fine," She felt so guilty. Just driven by anticipation and guilt. It was a pretty awful feeling.

Harry shrugged and then took a long, luxurious sip of the hot tea. His eyes closed and he frowned angrily, and uttered, " This must be the most terrible thing I've ever tasted."

Ginny nodded in agreement, " It's atrocious. It must be, like, the wrong order," and with that, she set the cup down and it disappeared, the tea plate turning a mild rose as it blushed in shame. Ginny took a deep breath and suddenly appeared unsteady.

" Ginny?" Hermione asked sweetly, testing the waters before treading in, " Are you fine?"

" Yes, yes, I…" Ginny's eyes met Colin's over the table and she grinned brightly, continuing: " I must have felt weak."

Harry was staring intently at his plate, his eyes sort of glazed-over in thought. He looked up and said, " Maybe I'll take you to the nurse, Ginny?"

Ginny shrugged and replied, " I think I'd like to go dancing right now, Harry."

" I'd rather sit," Harry said finally.

" Oh no! I meant with Colin. Hermione hasn't given him a good dance yet," Ginny teased, and she outstretched her hand to Colin over the dinner table, " Shall we dance?"

Colin was blushing so darkly even his chin was crimson. He nodded, trying to at least regain some of his cool, and stood up. They walked, hand-in-hand, to the dance floor. Harry stared after them, dumb-struck, trying to figure out just what he had witnessed a moment ago. " That's odd," Harry whispered finally, " I could have sworn she blew me off there."

" It's alright, Harry," Hermione said lightly, and then added carefully, " Maybe she would have preferred to go to the dance with my date instead."

" But she asked _me_," Harry exclaimed, puzzled, " That's why it's so odd. Wouldn't she have asked Colin instead?"

" Are _you_ feeling okay, Harry?" Hermione demanded, feeling her face flush angrily. Perhaps he had sipped the tea from the edge and hadn't sampled the powder? He didn't seem to be falling at her feet as of yet.

" I'm fine," Harry replied, " Why?"

" It's just…" Hermione gawked at the table suddenly, " You drank from my tea! Oh, Harry, you drank from _my _tea cup, didn't you?"

" I'm sorry," Harry said finally, " Why would that make me ill though? Tell me you don't believe in cooties now, do you?"

Just then, a pale arm slapped down a cup on the table. The sneering face of Draco Malfoy appeared in Hermione's face. Draco smiled at her and then turned to glare at Harry. " Thanks for the free drink, Potter," Draco laughed, " You didn't even see me filch it off your table. Idiot." Draco turned back to Hermione. " And you! Mudblood! How'd you like a dance?"

Hermione's heart deadened inside of her. Draco Malfoy had drunk from the cup instead!

****

Author's Note: I want to end with a cliffhanger. Yes, I realize this was pathetically short, but the cliffhanger was worth it, no?


	5. Unwanted Suitor

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Author's Note: I couldn't find the time to add another chapter to this; I was overflowing with ideas for new stories, including a very interesting Harry Potter one (not the Sandman idea, Gary, that sounds a bit too hard for me, and I won't shame myself by attempting at Neil Gaiman's genius). Well, here goes Chapter Five.

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Chapter Five

Unwanted Suitor

Draco's smirk faded quickly as Hermione's answer snapped against his ears with the sharp resounding crack of a rejection. " No!" Hermione exclaimed, " Draco, is this some sort of joke?"

Draco looked at her with surprise and then straightened up, seething, " It sure as hell was a joke! It's not like I'd want to dance with someone like _you_. You couldn't even get Potter to like you."

Hermione's cheeks were glowing with a blush now. She prayed in her mind that Draco would go away and that would be that – the spell could have been insufficient in strength against Draco's own loathing nature. No such luck though – Draco receded into a dark corner of the room and watched Hermione intently, even though he himself didn't quite understand the invisible threads connecting him to her.

" Hermione, what's going on?" Harry demanded, " Things are seriously getting out of hand."

" I don't even know anymore," She replied heatedly, " Everything was going _fine_ until I messed up." And now she was crying, and she couldn't even stop the tears. She jumped up from the table and ran from the room, realizing that it was better than to sit there and wait for Harry to comfort her.

She didn't want his soothing words, not when one of Ginny's red hairs still slept freshly on the collar of Harry's jacket.

*

Hermione spent the next day in majority at the library. The rest of the students had gone to Hogsmeade on a trip, and she decided that the library was a sanctuary for her in such times. Her humiliating moment at the dance had bled through the layers of cover-ups her friends tried to create and made quite a stain on her reputation. There was whisperings of Hermione bringing Colin and paying him off to wrestle Ginny from Colin's arms, and that Hermione was a jealous witch that didn't want Harry, but hated seeing him with anyone else. Draco, meanwhile? Some just figured she broke his brain through some illegal spell. The rumors were becoming more and more outlandish, it seemed, as the dance wore on.

She still felt weak and her nose was still runny from the good long cry she'd had the very same morning, and now she felt another wave of tears coming on. Hermione held them back, though; they were shameful enough to her last night, this morning they would be the frosting on the cookie.

" Hey! Granger!" She heard from across the library.

Hermione shuddered and pretended not to hear the pathetic drawl she knew so very well.

Draco Malfoy appeared before her, his face drawn into a sneer once more, " You've been blubbering like a baby, haven't you?"

_Most romantic,_ Hermione thought angrily, and replied, " Leave me alone."

" You can talk to me. I'll tell a few people, but we won't laugh. Much." Draco laughed at his own joke, saw how serious Hermione looked, and kept his mouth closed.

Hermione rubbed her temples thoughtfully, something that she did only when she was annoyed to the point where locking herself in a room and screaming insanely for an hour would be the only cure. She said, very calmly, " Draco?"

" What?" He asked.

" You're under a spell. You hate me. Get it?"

Draco stared at her blankly, " So is _that_ why Crabbe found it imperative to read me my mortal enemy list this morning?"

" I suppose," Hermione replied.

" Get this spell off of me then," Draco moaned, " If I'm supposed to be your worst enemy, then…" He blinked uncertainly, " But are you _sure_? I don't feel any dislike to you."

" This is the _worst_!" Hermione groaned, putting her head down on the table, " Just avoid me for a few days, or something."

" I can't. You look so sad, it's hard to ignore you," Draco confessed, " Some part of me tells me I have to comfort you."

" The part that isn't _you! _The part of you under the spell!" Hermione spat. 

Draco stood up, " Well, if you're going to be like that!" And he left, looking rather angry. A few steps away, though, he turned, something in his expression changing. " Are you sure?" He asked Hermione, " Positively sure?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, " I'm _very_ sure."

" They're calling you a witch, you know," Draco told her, " They say you're insanely jealous over any girl that's with Potter. I'd say you need someone on your side."

" You?" She raised her eyebrows, " Malfoy, you'll ruin your character. You've built a wall between yourself and… and us! You'll regret this."

" I don't feel it's bad," Draco said, " Not really, anyway."

" Just go. I don't need you around," Hermione said.

" You're cute when you're mad," He told her, with a shy grin.

" Get away!" Hermione shouted, throwing her book at him.

Draco shrugged and ran off somewhere.

She sat there, staring into the empty air, her stomach hurting suddenly. It was embarrassing, not to mention plain silly, to have to deal with Draco like this. He had some nerve to pester her like that! Besides, it was just the spell on him, after all.

Hermione's heart deadened, _but what if he genuinely falls in love with me in this time?_

She shrugged and decided to be extra-nasty to him just in case.

*

Harry couldn't concentrate on his broom. After attempting to fly across the field not once, not twice, but thirty-eight times, and each time just drifting sadly a foot or two from the ground, he gave up. Everything had suddenly gone so sour for him! Hermione couldn't be as awfully jealous as everyone said! She was his best friend, and he felt he knew her well enough.

Above all, it was unlike Hermione to plot behind his back.

As much as he tried to convince himself this, though, the more it disturbed him that there was so much evidence against Hermione. Draco had suddenly taken an odd infatuation with her, which many said might be because he realized Hermione was just as villainous as he was. There was the sudden love between Colin and Ginny, who spent the whole day singing love songs to one another. And, of course, Hermione running from the dance in tears after seeing Harry and Ginny together.

Harry sighed.

" Why, though! She said she didn't want to go to the dance with me!" Harry shouted at the sky angrily.

" I think I know," A voice drawled from behind him.

Harry turned around and saw Malfoy.

" Draco?" Harry demanded, " What would you know about Hermione?"

" Enough," Draco said, " To tell you one thing: she doesn't like you. She's just peeved that she can't get a date."

" I don't believe you," Harry said, turning away, " Hermione's not like that. Above all, she'd always tell me if there was something on her mind."

" Oh, there _is_ something on her mind," Draco spewed venomously, " An insipid little thought that she herself is undesirable to others. And you know what that means? Nobody else should be happy around her."

" How do you know all this?" Harry demanded.

" I'm observant, in a way," Draco crossed his arms across his chest, " Besides, it's obvious. She doesn't like you, she would have asked you to the dance first if she did. She had nobody left to ask after Ginny snatched you, and she got angry. And it's been so long now for that nerdy Mudblood, I don't think she's ever even _touched_ a guy…"

" Shut up!" Harry shouted.

" … She got to jealous over Ginny! She turned Ginny into a little effigy for her own misery and distaste." Draco talked on, grinning, " She decided to ruin it all for Ginny. So Hermione cast a spell on Ginny and Colin, making them fall madly and irreversibly in love. But it didn't sate her, oh no…" Draco laughed, " She saw that she was still alone, after everything she did, and she ran out of the room crying."

" Shut up, you lying worm!" Harry threw himself at Draco, his fists landing all over Draco's lithe body.

Draco slipped away, chattering on, " And now Hermione's pissed and waiting, like a tiger, and she's discovered the hate and the power within her grasp! And I like her this way! I like her angry and evil and filled with poison!"

" Go away!" Harry swung at Draco again, " I don't believe you!"

" Talk to her, and you'll see," Draco said, " She's not the old Hermione anymore."

" I will talk to her," Harry said, " And clear this up once and for all."

Something in Draco's face changed though. If indeed Hermione wasn't as he saw her – his ideal mate, in a sense, then that would prove him wrong. And he hated to be wrong. Wheels began to turn in his head. He would make sure Hermione stayed the way she was, a set point of venom and evil in his mind. The spell had crafted her so in his eyes, after all; it simply turned her into perfection to his own mind.

" I'll show you how wrong you are," Draco said. Somehow, he felt he had a deadline in his head. He'd have to pressure Hermione into the Dark Side somehow; make her see how worthless her old friends were. It was perfect now – now that she was being talked about, now that everyone feared her in a way; it was the perfect time for him to come in and try to talk her to his side.

Draco grinned and said, " You try your hardest, Potter. Save your little Mudblood, I dare you."

Harry frowned, " You're sick," Harry muttered, and rushed off to find Hermione.

Draco knew where she was, though, and ran for a head start.

*

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Author's Note: Whoa. This was dark and upsetting, even for my brooding melodramatic taste. I wrote this after walking for two hours in the awful sun, just to get to Starbucks and enjoy a Slushy. I have no life, it seems.

Anyway, please, please, please review. I feel about ready to give up this story.


	6. A Darker Side

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Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter, if it isn't apparent as of yet, I'm only a teenager.

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Chapter Six

A Darker Side

Hermione felt an ill wind to the castle grounds that day; something was wrong – a heavy, ominous feeling of doom and despair between the walls of the building. She was worried that such a feeling could only predict a miserable day for her.

She was just about ready to leave the library, the day nearing an end, when she heard the clatter of footsteps running down the hallway. She stood up and her chair clattered to the floor noisily.

" Honestly, Granger! You'd think there were four of you in here," Draco exclaimed, standing in the doorway.

" You scared me!" She shouted. The urgency in Draco's footsteps got her worried that there was something bad coming.

" Listen, Granger," Draco said, an unnaturally kind smile plastered on his face, " Potter's coming. He's been listening to all those rumors about you. I told you I'm on your side, right? Well, listen me out. He's going to ask you if you like him and garbage like that. I just heard him talking to Weasley about it. They were ridiculing you!"

" Harry wouldn't…" Hermione whispered, then remembered how Harry had poked fun of Ron when they had gotten into an argument. Harry was certainly capable of being cruel, if the situation called for him to be.

" Just don't say _anything_ that you'll regret later," Draco told her, patting her hand, " Since Potter's got his vegetables steamed because of you anyway. He really did like that Ginny. I still think you're prettier than her."

" Get away from me," Hermione hissed, pushing him aside, " I need to talk to Harry and clear this all up. This is the perfect occasion!"

" They're all laughing at you!"

She stopped, frozen in place. This was her worst fear. It hurt her most, the idea that people out there were laughing at her. Hermione had built a little kingdom for herself, where she was a bit separated from everyone else. She wasn't as close to Harry and Ron as they were to one another, there was always a wall of mystery between them. It wasn't entirely gender-based, it was more of an intellectual and social barrier. Hermione loved her books and her studious nature above the playful, adventurous life that Harry and Ron presented her. This divided them quite obviously before, but now it seemed doubly obvious to her. Perhaps it was laughable to them, the way she was.

Hermione shuddered and looked at Draco, her eyes glossy with tears, " If you're lying to me, I'll never forgive you!"

Draco sighed, " Would I lie to you? I told you, I'm trying to do the best in your interest."

" If there's one good thing about putting a spell on you, this would be it," Hermione said with a smile.

" Trust me, you're the laughingstock of the school. Everyone thinks you're a bitch."

Hermione shuddered at the profanity and replied, " And… and Harry?"

" He's especially making fun of you. I've never seen Potter acting this low. He laid the cards out on the table and showed who he really is – a back stabber. He doesn't even respect you for who you are," Draco whispered in her ear, his fingers running through her hair delectably.

Hermione shrank away from his touch, afraid of whatever it was that was beginning to grow between them. She could almost see a wall of tension, a column of fire, slowly surrounding her and Draco. She frowned and said, " I don't know whether I believe you."

" Potter chose Ginny, didn't he?" Draco's sultry voice persisted in her ear. The voice of immorality, the voice of unrest and darkness, " You need to understand that Harry's not who you thought he was. You didn't really see the real him, you were always in the shadow of Potter and Weasley's friendship anyway."

Hermione nodded breathlessly.

" Potter's twisted. He turned his back on you over_ a girl_ – Ginny, no less! Doesn't this show how important you really are to him?" Draco demanded.

Tears spilled from Hermione's eyes.

Draco hugged her lightly and whispered, " Don't you even cry…" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry appear in the doorway of the library. Draco tilted Hermione's chin up and whispered, " I agree, you don't need Harry," And with that, he kissed her. Hermione didn't pull away, she melted into it.

Draco brought his head back and then glanced at the doorway again. Harry was gone. He smirked to himself and said, " If you see Potter, show him what you really think of how he stabbed you in the back. Snob him off. You're too good for him."

" I _am_ too good for him, aren't I?" Hermione whispered to herself. Perhaps having Draco fall for her wasn't that bad after all. There seemed to be some good in him in the end!

Draco patted her hair and then said, " I've got to be going. If you need to talk to anyone, talk to me. I know what it's like to have people push you away just because they think you're different."

Hermione nodded. " Thank you," She called after Draco, " I don't know what I'd do without your help," Then she listened to her own words. It seemed as if this whole idea of Draco being her hero was forced into her, tricked into her mind somehow. Talking to Draco seemed wrong!

And yet, Hermione didn't quite realize what was going on.

*

Harry punched the pillow on his bed one last time, exasperated. " I hate you, Malfoy!" He shouted into the pillow, and then collapsed down onto the bed, his eyebrows drawn in a frown. Now the bar has been raised. Seems Hermione _was_ different than he thought. Perhaps she was simply jealous of Ginny; why else was she collaborating with Malfoy? Malfoy, who was the anti-Weasley? It would be very opportune for Hermione to befriend someone who'd help her destroy the Weasley's happiness!

Harry stopped his train of thoughts.

_What am I thinking?_ He thought, _this is Hermione, my Hermione! She wouldn't do anything like this!_

Then came the memory of Colin and Ginny cooing love songs in the dining hall to one another, feeding each other, and kissing passionately. Harry balled his hands into fists and punched the pillow again, feeling tears springing from his eyes.

_I hate you, Hermione, for doing this!_

*

Draco sat in the Slytherin common room, his breath drawing ragged, frosty clouds on the window. He was looking outside at the snow as it spiraled from the sky and to the ground. He didn't understand some of the drives in him anymore.

Was it indeed the spell Hermione spoke of?

But when he looked at her, he saw the evil that she held within her grasp, how powerful she could be! And he knew that her intellect and her great magical abilities would be a surefire asset for the Dark Lord. Yet – she was a Mudblood.

The word, Mudblood, gritty between his teeth like sand, stripped of any elegance or beauty. It was a pockmark to be a Mudblood, and he knew that Hermione would never be accepted into the Dark Lord's reign. Unless, of course, she did something to prove her loyalty.

And all Draco wanted was to never let her slip away. Something inside of him made him feel that if he let Hermione and Harry reunite in a friendship, he would never live through it. There was something unbearably heavy inside of him, like chains around his heart, and he couldn't work past it.

Was it the spell? Was it his real feelings? Where did the magic end and where did he begin?

He was so confused.

What would Hermione have to do to be accepted into the Dark Lord's majesty?

Draco knew.

She'd have to kill the Muggles that forced her blood to be unclean in the first place.

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Her parents.

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Author's Note: Will Draco succeed, through power of persuasion and incorporating some black magic, in brainwashing Hermione? Will Harry figure things out in time before it's too late? Is Ron hiding something from Harry? All this and more, next chapter… so review!

Oh, and to Anonymous that emailed me asking me for a picture of me, it's in my fan fiction profile.

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Please Review!


	7. Lucid in the Morning

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Author's Note: All recognizable characters, events, and places mentioned are all not mine, but J.K. Rowling's. 

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Chapter Seven

Lucid in the Morning

Hermione woke up feeling refreshed and also repulsed. She wiped at her lips angrily with the sleeve of her pajama top and then thought about what she had done. Draco had gotten to her. Draco was _not_ speaking lucidly, he was probably lying to her just because he had no conscience. All Draco had to guide him was his own live-in-the-now attitude and his snide comments and the spell that tied him to Hermione. But worst of all was that she kissed him, and now she could barely stand that idea.

She raced from the bed and into the bathroom where she vomited and sat with her back pressed against the wall, her eyes closed and her stomach fluttering nervously. Hermione wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

The school hated her and the one person that talked to her was Draco, and he was a liar and she would not trust him any farther than she could throw him.

" What did you get yourself into?" She whispered to the freshly scrubbed face in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was pale, as if she had not slept at all. The truth was that she had cried a great majority of the night, until her pillow was sticky from tears when she woke up in the morning.

" Why couldn't you just accept he didn't like you? Why'd you have to mess with fate?" Hermione grumbled, dipping her hands under the spray of cold water. She cupped her hands and then brought the water to her mouth. She gargled out the taste of her vomit and then brushed her teeth placidly.

Hermione decided she'd stay in the Gryffindor common room, sick for the day.

*

Ron sat down in the Gryffindor common room's lazy chair, clutching his stomach and groaning at the pain he felt inside. He had eaten half of Hogsmeade the day before. Too bad that Harry had stayed behind to practice Quidditch! Without Harry, Ron had no restraints at all. He had eaten until he worried he'd bust at the seams.

Just as he readied to fall asleep, in an attempt to divert his mind from the pain, Hermione walked into the room. An awkward silence followed. Then, Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she said, " Ron, you'll listen to me, won't you? Can't I talk to you, at least?"

" It's you that's been blowing off me and Harry all this time," Ron replied angrily, " Where've you been? You won't believe the rumors that you caused. Bad timing, really – you ran out of the room just as some twit cast a love spell on Colin and Ginny."

" You mean you guys don't blame me?" Hermione felt layers of worry melt away.

" I don't blame you," Ron replied, " Harry's been sort of down and troubled about it all, but I know my Hermione."

Hermione bit her lower lip to keep from crying, " Ron… Ron, I'm so sorry!" She was crying now, something she didn't want to do in front of Ron, especially now that she wanted to get her story out, " I do like Harry. Really! I wanted to go to the dance with him, I was just terrified he'd say no. And then this whole mess began."

" A misunderstanding, really," Ron said, " You wouldn't happen to have any Chocolate Frogs on you?"

" Are you joking? You look like you're sick enough as it is," Hermione laughed easily now, feeling the weight lifting from her shoulders. She had Ron to help her now!

" Hey, the misery in my stomach would _love_ some company," Ron replied with a grin, " Tell me what happened, Hermione. I'm delirious from all the chocolate, so don't mind if I space out."

Hermione grinned, " I don't care, I just want someone to understand!"

Ron nodded and Hermione began, not holding back a thing. She even divulged the shameful things that Draco had put her through. She didn't stop, she was going full-steam, her eyes wide as she began to gesticulate, and when she got to Draco, she made the most vile face as she explained the kiss.

" You really like Harry, then?" Ron asked, looking around the room uncomfortably, shifting the weight from one buttock to the other. Hermione looked alarmed but Ron replied, easily, " Feels like army tanks of gas racing through my intestines, you know."

Hermione blushed.

" I'm not cutting cheese or anything!" Ron cracked up, " Though with that face you're making, I'd say I might have let something go."

Hermione laughed and told him, " I'm just thinking about Draco."

" Look, Hermione, I have to tell you something too," Ron said, " I sort of set Harry and Ginny up. Harry doesn't even like Ginny too much, he was going to ask you in the first place. I got Ginny all excited that Harry will go with her, though, and then I couldn't just back out on her. I told her Harry will say yes and Ginny asked him."

She sighed loudly, " That was it? Harry had no feelings for Ginny at all, then?"

" None that I know of," Ron replied, " Unless your spell backfired and it turned into some sort of threesome bit. Colin and Harry and Ginny…"

" No!" Hermione exclaimed, " No way!"

" So now that we cleared all that up, how are we going to get Draco to lay off?" Ron asked.

" I don't know," Hermione admitted.

" And we have to find Harry and get him to believe our story, too," Ron said, " And just because I'm on your side doesn't mean Harry will budge too easily. He's got himself convinced that you put Draco under a spell, and that Ginny and Colin are under spells. What would stop you from putting me under a spell too?"

" This _will_ be hard," Hermione sighed, " But I messed things up in the first place, so I should fix them."

" You break it, you buy it?" Ron offered.

" Yes, sort of like that," Hermione mumbled, standing up, " What we need now is to find Harry."

" Sometime before Draco gets to him. That git doesn't know where his boundaries are," Ron replied.

" Exactly," Hermione nodded.

****

Author's Note:

Short chapter; I post this because it has not much to do with the context of chapter six or chapter eight; it would be a mistake to add this little bit to any of them. So it's a stand-alone short chapter. All books have those, I think. I'll post chapter eight a bit delayed, spring break is ending and I haven't done any of my homework!

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	8. Good Communication

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Author's Note: I am tired of schoolwork already! Nine more weeks until summer vacation! I count the days… all belongs to J. K. Rowling. Thank [Random Deity of Choice] for Ron, comic relief in a tight situation. 

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Chapter Eight

Good Communication

" Harry!"

Harry turned and saw a good redheaded friend bounding after him while clutching his rather bloated stomach. Harry paused and stared at Ron in a good-mannered way, " What is it?"

" You wouldn't believe how long I had to search for you," Ron panted out, " You're harder to locate than a patch of snow in hell!" He stopped and took a deep breath before continuing, " I have to talk to you. A nice, long, uninterrupted talk."

" I was just about to go get lunch," Harry replied politely, " So let's talk in the dining hall."

They walked down the corridor and stopped in the doorway of the dining hall. Harry looked at Ron again and said, " You look awful, by the way. What's going on?"

" Me. Candy shop. All You Can Eat For Free promotion sale." Ron replied, " Put it all together and what do you get?"

" Oh, man…" Harry rolled his eyes and laughed.

" Go in first. I'm scared I'll get lodged in the doorframe," Ron said, laughing.

Harry strolled into to the lunchroom and then turned to watch Ron come in as well. Ron followed him and they sat down at the Gryffindor table, which was filling up with students already, " Now, tell me what this is all about," Harry said impatiently, " I can tell it's serious by the look on your face."

" That look comes with the indigestion," Ron joked, and continued after burping twice, " I have to tell you something. You listen to it good and well, and **don't** interrupt, for God's sakes, because I can only release so much gas out of my body at one time before catching on fire."

Harry grinned, "Alright."

So Ron began to explain everything, pausing from time to time to groan miserably.

It was a rather long speech, and it is fair to give some credit to Harry for listening through it all without touching the delicious honey-glazed bun and the slices of ham that appeared on his plate by now. Once the speech had been given, Harry stared at his dinner glass and said, " How am I supposed to know that she didn't put a spell on _you_?"

" Don't you hear what you're saying?" Ron moaned, putting his head down on the table, " How many times has Hermione bothered with risky spells?"

" Many!" Harry exclaimed.

" Alright, well, how many times directed towards _us?_" Ron demanded.

" None, I guess," Harry answered.

" Then it's a little silly to doubt her," Ron said, " Especially now that she depends on us _so much_!"

Harry swirled a spoon through the hot cocoa that was standing beside his plate. He took it out and ate the marshmallow hanging from the tip before saying anything else. When he spoke, though, you could tell his voice was saturated with relief, " So I guess it all makes sense. Everything."

" Yes," Ron said, " It all makes sense. Now you and Hermione can kiss and makeup."

Harry's ears reddened, " I'll find her."

" Go quickly over yonder hill," Ron moaned out, " But you go on without me. I… I can't go on!" He put his head down on the table, his forehead smashing his bagel flat.

Harry laughed under his breath because Ron's misery _was_ pretty funny, but he didn't laugh audibly because a friend's misery was not supposed to be taken for kicks and giggles. Harry left the room and hoped to find Hermione. If Hermione had told him all this, it would have been a bit harder to understand. Hearing everything come out logically, and hearing a Hermione in Ron's story that was in character was especially endearing.

Back in the dining hall, Ron had lifted his head and caught sight of the tower of brownie slices before him. And suddenly, all stomach problems had been put aside to make room for more sugary invasion. Mind over matter at its best.

*

Once Ron had gone to find Harry, Hermione settled into a slumber again. She could sleep easily now, the taste of Draco's lips gone from her memory and heart. Thinking of it still brought some nausea, especially since she had felt offended seeing Ginny's headrest on Harry's shoulder! How does that compare to having the mortal enemy of her beloved lock lips with her?

An hour later, just past breakfast, she had descended down set after set of staircases and found the library, where she intended to finish all the essays that had been assigned in advance. Settling down in a chair and pulling out a book and scroll, Hermione dipped her quill in some ink and began to write.

__

An Introspective View On –

Her quill trailed off the sentence and began to draw loopy-loops on the paper. She was nervous, after all. Harry might not even accept her apology! Harry could have, in fact, found out the truth by now and he could have quite easily stormed off to the Gryffindor common room, his head ready to explode from the inferno of anger incited in it.

_I don't know what he'd have to be mad about, _Hermione thought, _unless he believes it's all lies. And if he thinks it was all a lie, then I'm in serious trouble._

" Hermione," A sultry voice whispered in her ear.

Her fingers prickled and she raised her hand and slapped wildly at the gnat whispering in her ear – and then the sharp sound of her plat palm hitting flesh. Hermione turned and saw Draco, doubled over, clutching his cheek where her handprint left a burning mark.

" You surprised me," She said coolly, " By just _whispering _like that!"

" Oh, like _that_ didn't surprise _me_?" Draco demanded.

" What do you want from me?" Hermione wanted to know.

" I wanted to propose something to you," Draco said, flustered, and then added, " Seems you are a different person than I thought."

" Trust me, I'm _not_," Hermione replied, " And for your information, I've already explained _everything_ to Ron and Harry. I'm forgiven and we're all friends again. Beat it."

Draco's face reddened, " But that's _stupid_! Think of the power you could have had, if you joined the Dark Side!"

" Dark SIDE?" Hermione shouted, " I never said anything about the Dark Side! So that's what this was all about, then? Some big ally you are."

" Fine, Mudblood, if you want to take it personally, I'm not stopping you," Draco huffed and stormed from the library, just as Harry came in.

Hermione looked up and saw him and her heart fluttered.

" Harry…" She whispered nervously.

He replied, " No, Hermione, I have to tell you something first."

*

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Author's Note: Review please, and I'll add more; I gotta stop here because I'm scared I might not access the computer later this week.


	9. No Mistakes

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading this story, enjoy this last chapter.

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Chapter Nine

No Mistake

Hermione looked at Harry nervously. She could only guess what he could tell her. Dozens of words and phrases ran through her head, each viler and crueler than the next. Then she caught herself and realized Harry would never tell her anything of _that_ sort. She said, in the softest voice she could muster, "What is it?"

Harry leaned forwards slightly so that his eyelashes cast dark star-point shadows across her cheeks for a second. Then, he kissed her, very delicately, on the cheek.

" I believe you," He said, " Maybe I'm stupid, but I _know_ my Hermione."

Hermione's cheeks flushed darkly and she said, " So you know about… about how I wanted to make you like me."

" The spell wouldn't have worked," Harry replied sadly.

Hermione's stomach twisted painfully for the upcoming truth, " It… it wouldn't?"

" No. I already loved you to begin with," And then he kissed her on the lips, rivaling the kiss Draco gave her and extending far beyond it, making it the most delectable kiss Hermione had ever savored on her lips. She could feel all the butterflies in the cage of her stomach smash against her stomach walls suddenly and then they were gone, leaving only a light airy hole of what her stomach had been, and her insides came together to form a rainbow of pleasure. It was so sweet a display that if Harry or Hermione had to witness someone else go forth with something like this they'd make a face of disgust. Yet, here they were, and suddenly they whispered words of their love and affections. They told of when they first knew that their love was there, where they first felt that tug in their hearts…

And suddenly words were spilling out, apologies and excuses, which the other member would silence with their own words and excuses, and then only burning kisses would quiet the words and make things better.

" I can't believe I didn't say anything," Harry said finally, their lips parted finally, " God, Hermione… you don't know what I went through, keeping it all inside."

" Guess we're just dummies," Hermione suggested, " In need of a guide book to Good Communication."

Harry grinned and the tears in his eyes shimmered, " You didn't really make any mistakes, though."

" No?"

" It still got us together in the end, didn't it?"

And they kissed once more.

*

A day later, just as the third day of the spell had passed, Draco Malfoy woke up with a startled expression. He had fallen asleep in the common room, Crabbe and Goyle staring at him from the sofa just before him. Draco frowned and said, " What? What the hell is going on?"

Then he looked down and saw that he held the stump of a red crayon in his hand, and a rather poorly done love note in the other. He wrinkled his nose, " Are you setting me up for a prank photograph here?" He pulled the card open and saw the most atrocious bunch of sweet words, something he would barely expect even Potter to string together.

_My fairest? What the hell!?_

And then he saw the person it was to.

_Hermione Granger, my love, forgive me._

Draco felt incurably weak suddenly. He threw the card across the room and hissed snidely, " I don't even want to know what I did last night and I don't even care. Bring me a fucking cup of cocoa and be fast about it, you idiots."

Crabbe ran from the room and Goyle followed, their faces red with perspiration.

Draco hunched over the table, ice running through his veins. He'd have to be double mean now to cover up his mistakes. _Still… whatever it was last night, it must have been_** _some_** party.

*

Ginny woke up in her bed as well and felt a wave of nausea and confusion at first. As the room ebbed into view again, she felt as if something had cleared up in her heart. She looked outside. It was a lovely day. She wondered if she could go out with Colin and build a snowman. Not once did her mind remind her of Harry, and for once, it wasn't the spell that made her feel so. There was no mistake – it was in her heart. 

*

****

It's not a mistake if you still get the result you wanted.

The End


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